When the weather warms up, it's tempting to shave your fluffy Husky, Pomeranian or Golden Retriever to help them cool down. It's one of the most common grooming myths, and it can genuinely harm your dog. Here's what a double coat actually does, and how to care for it properly.
What a double coat is
Double-coated breeds, including Huskies, Pomeranians, Spitz, Golden Retrievers, Border Collies, German Shepherds and Australian Shepherds, have two layers. A soft, dense undercoat provides insulation, and a longer, coarser topcoat repels water and shields the skin from sun and dirt. The two work together as your dog's built-in weather system.
Why shaving doesn't keep them cool
That undercoat insulates against heat just as it does against cold, so it's actually helping your dog stay comfortable in summer. Shaving it off removes their sun protection and their natural cooling layer, leaving skin exposed to sunburn and heat. Remember that dogs cool themselves mainly by panting and through their paws, not through the skin on their body, so a shaved coat doesn't cool them the way we imagine.
Shaving can change the coat for good
Shaving a double coat can lead to patchy, uneven regrowth, sometimes called coat funk or post-clipping alopecia, where the soft undercoat grows back faster and smothers the protective guard hairs. The coat can return thinner, fluffier and harder to manage, and in some dogs it never quite grows back the same.
What to do instead: deshed and brush
The goal isn't less coat, it's less undercoat. A professional deshedding treatment uses a bath, a high-velocity blow-out and an undercoat rake to lift out the loose, dead undercoat that traps heat, without touching the protective topcoat. At home, brush two to three times a week, and more when your dog is "blowing" their coat in spring and autumn, using an undercoat rake and a slicker brush.
Keeping a double-coated dog cool in a Perth summer
Always provide fresh water and shade, walk in the cooler morning and evening hours, and never leave your dog in a hot car or on hot pavement. A regular deshed does far more for their comfort than a clipper ever could, and keeps that beautiful coat healthy for years.
More advice: How often to groom by coat type · Grooming an Oodle